Letters from 16 to 22 February 2009
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All the news that's fit to find
I was surprised
to see no mention in
your news section of what may have been a first for Anglican churches any where in the
world! On Sunday, 8 February, nearly every Anglican church in the Sydney Diocese (around
240 churches) were linked by a live telecast to share in a service where we all shared
in confession, absolution, creed and prayers at one and the same time across the dDiocese
and hear a challinging and inspirational message from our Archbishop. The occasion: the
launch of CONNECT09, a diocesan-wide campaign to make connection with every resident of
our diocese with the word of God. It was a wonderful occasion that had been months
in the planning. Churches could take and screen the telecast either from the Internet or
from the Australian Christian Channel.
One can read coverage here.
The sermon from the Archbishop can be viewed here. An
account of one of our Sydney clergy being consecrated and installed as Bishop of a neighbouring
Diocese can be read here.
Please join in prayer with us
in Sydney that as we endeavour to connect with our neighbours, the Lord would be at work
by His Spirit, to draw men and women, boys and girls to Himself.
The Reverend Mark Calder
St Andrew's Roseville
Roseville, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
mncalder@optushome.com.au
16 February 2009
(Ed: We didn't know about this
event, and none of the five people who search for Anglican news for us found mention of
it in their digging. We'll surely find mention of it in the press this week.)
Whose views?
Thank
you for last week's letter. I
have no particular love of record keeping; it is the general message that appeals to
me. With all of the controversy of late within the Anglican Communion and within the
Episcopal Church in general, one would think that all we ever talk about is human sexuality.
The average person in the pew has more pressing issues in mind: How to deal with aging
congregations and buildings; the fading interest in spirituality in the USA; how to remain
relevant in a society that is so centered on self?
I believe that the people running
things are much like our politicians in Washington DC. Once they are in power for so long,
they lose touch with the people they represent. Or in this case in particular, the One they
represent. Christ was the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd does not ignore the rest of the
flock to round up a lost sheep.
Cyrus Lanager
St. Paul's, Philipsburg
Hawk Run, Pennsylvania, USA
cylan3@hotmail.com
16 February 2009
Running in cycles: Can you help?
I want to
know if there is a 'prayer cycle' for
the Episcopal Church in the USA, similar to the Anglican Cycle of Prayer. I am sure there
is a better place to ask this question, but I am at loss as to where it would be.
I have looked at the national
church site, but nothing there that looks like a prayer cycle. I know that our dioceses are
included in the Anglican Cycle, but it seems that we should have our own?
Louise Boling
St Matthew's Episcopal Church
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
hlboling@sbcglobal.net
19 February 2009
(Ed: Please note you can reply
directly to the writer, if you can assist.)
Earlier letters
We launched our 'Letters to AO' section on 11
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